Scarlet and Honey
by Lex Noctis
Summary: It has been a few years. Carmilla believed herself capable of keeping a handle on her urge to bite Laura. She was content with where things stood. Then what she thought would be a simple night in became a huge milestone in their lives. (Hollstein, slightly AU)


**Title:** Scarlet and Honey

 **Fandom:** Carmilla The Webseries

 **Spoilers:** Acknowledges season 1 in passing, canon is mostly irrelevant for this story

 **Pairing:** Carmilla Karnstein / Laura Hollis

 **Warnings:** Two explicit sex scenes, vanilla. Vampire blood drinking, yes.

 **Disclaimer:** The song lyrics used in this fic are from Hannah Trigwell's fantastic acoustic cover of Wild Heart by The Vamps. The cover can be found on youtube and I suggest you listen to it before reading because it's important and it is an amazing performance. But, yeah, I don't own shit.

 **AN:** Hello, creampuffs! This is my first story in Carmilla fandom. I wanted to write one since the first season ended, but I could not come up with a good idea. Now, I have. This story is a tiny bit of an AU, but most of this story requires no canon background. The premise is that it has been a few years into Laura and Carmilla's relationship and they are living in a mansion. Everything else is unimportant except for a slight change I made to canon for the ending. The story centers around Carmilla and her struggle to resist the temptation to bite Laura. It's romance and self-discovery wrapped in smut. Enjoy!

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 **. . .**

 **Scarlet and Honey**

 **. . .**

She had heard the sound of muffled singing the second the front door had closed behind her back. Carmilla tilted her head to the side squinting her eyes and focusing her hearing on the sounds inside the house. The tap in the downstairs kitchen was still broken, slow steady drops dripping into the sink. The window of the living room creaked against the wind. The wheezing of the TV and computers in three different rooms was strangely soothing. In the upstairs guestroom, far off all the way down the hall, the sounds of two breaths intermingled with each other. One – calm and deep, the other – more focused, telling of concentration. Carmilla raised a brow no more than a centimeter. Perry was the sleeping presence while LaFontaine were doing something on their laptop. She had no intention of finding out anything aside from their location. Carmilla had been annoyed enough by the fact that those two had been staying over for as long as they had. Fortunately, the walls of the mansion were thick and plentiful living space gave all the residents as much privacy as they desired.

Carmilla moved on letting her senses guide her inner eye towards the other rooms. All were blissfully empty of any other irritating passers-by. The second floor was shrouded in relative silence. A gentle creak of the antique furniture or slight rustle of papers were the only sounds disturbing the peace and quiet. But then there was that singing. Carmilla took an absentminded step forward. She _had_ found the source.

She heard the water running in the bathroom adjacent to the master bedroom. She could taste the humidity in the air drifting from the running shower all the way down here, to the foyer, impossible to detect for anyone other than her. Could smell the fruity scents of the body-wash and that rich flavor... _mmm..._ the wild flowers and honeycomb of that specific shampoo only one person in this household used. She leaned in the direction of the smell. Once she had caught onto the source, it was so easy to sense everything that was happening in that bathroom. Her vampire hearing, her keen sense of smell and spacial awareness allowed Carmilla to penetrate the walls and floors and take in the scene that was taking place before her mind's eye.

Getting through the sounds of the running water and whispers of the rising steam, past the smells of the beauty products, she managed to make out the words.

 _I was walking away,  
_ _But you're so beautiful it made me stay  
_ _I don't know your name,  
_ _But I'm hoping you might feel the same  
_ _So here I go again,  
_ _You've got my heart again!_

Carmilla felt her lips form a wolfish grin of their own accord. _Laura Hollis singing in the shower._ That was a picture she had treated her inner eyes to a few times, and, god, how did her reaction change overtime! From the far less than appreciative, especially when it came to the choices of songs and questionable ability of the cutie-pie roommate to hold a tune, to the embarrassingly adoring expression she undoubtedly had let her face slip into right now.

She stretched in a tight line straining her senses to their limits. The image swelled with colors, powered by all the sounds and filled with the smells and vibrations of the air. It was brought to life for her, Carmilla could imagine it so clearly. The steam waffing around the glass cabin, perspiration covering those walls and water drops running down the fogged surfaces. Hot streams falling from the shower head. And the body standing under the miniaturized waterfall. She could taste the moisture on the tip of her tongue. Could trace the water running down the expanse of Laura's back with her closed eyes. The senses folded together to form the perfect vision and when Laura reached the chorus she could see her as if that adorable girl was standing not two feet away.

 _Tonight we'll dance  
_ _I'll be yours and you'll be mine  
_ _We won't look back,  
_ _Take my hand and we will shine_

The way Laura swayed. Her eyes closed and lips spread in a soft smile. The way her hands tangled in the wet hair. The way she stretched up into the spray of the shower. Shifting from one hip to the other in tune with the song.

 _Oh, oh, oh  
_ _You need a wild heart,  
_ _You need a wild heart  
_ _I got a wild heart!_

Carmilla swallowed. She had given the vision too much power for her own good. The enticing picture was entirely too irresistible. Unable to stop herself she had traced the curve of Laura's spine, the gentle dip at the small of her back. The way the cascading water caressed her skin. From the round shoulders all the way down across the round hips and slender legs. Carmilla bit her lip, hard. The metallic tinge of blood on her tongue was just enough to pull her out of the vision.

She opened her eyes knowing full well that they were blown, darkened to inhuman proportions. Her nostrils flared. The smells were not willing to leave her. And that singing voice had a staying power, it pressed on her ears. Carmilla squinted at the ceiling. She knew all along that she had been a goner. That very moment she had put the provincial, all too eager girl before everything else, Carmilla knew she would end up right here. It was indeed all her own fault, but why did Laura had to be like this? So open and inviting. Like she had been tempting her from the beginning, even though it was clear as day – or night, more to Carmilla's preference – that it was unintentional. Laura had the air of innocence, the wide-eyed pastel-colored picture of the world and, dammit, if Carmilla could ever understand for the life of her how that could be so alluring.

Stalking up the stairs she was followed by the voice at every turn. It would be impossible to tune it out, not after the vision of Laura had wormed its way into her brain. The stairs and corridor flew by in a flash. Slipping into the master bedroom Carmilla closed the door and slumped against the hard wooden frame. The source of her predicament was just a few feet away, on the other side of the door to the far left. She let out a deep sigh. There was no reason, no conceivable way of fighting it, not that she really wanted to. But a disquieting amount of fear was still there. If Carmilla were to give in to that feeling completely, she knew where it would lead. Vampires were not supposed to fall in love after all.

The full-height mirror at the wall opposite had her twin displayed in full view. She crooked her head, sighed again and took the few steps she needed to stand in front of it. The belief that vampires had no reflection had been instigated by the same vampires the ridiculous notion was about and, of course, the witless masses believed it wholeheartedly. At least, they did when the times were simpler. Carmilla flung her backpack on the nearest chair and attempted to focus on her own reflection rather than the sounds of splashing water and soft singing voice floating from the bathroom. Not that it was an easy task. The twin in the mirror flinched, though the forcefully relaxed posture it adopted was anything but. Dark eyes climbed up from the black leather shoes and thigh-high socks on wide spread legs. Further up to the functional and comfortable combo – white tank top and shorts. Carmilla saw the twin's fingers hook around the suspenders and felt her lips twitch at the sight. Her approval was short-lived, however. There was something more below the carefree yet edgy look. The tension radiated off of her twin in waves. The power contained in strained muscles, dangerous patience of a predator. Ready to pounce at any time.

She tilted her head taking in the mass of raven locks – wild and tossed by the wind, but thumbing down her shoulders in easy waves like always. The eyes watching the reflection were like endless wells of deep blackness. Irises had disappeared completely. Her skin, while pale on any other occasion, had been flushed. Her cheeks and chest pinked and that rush of blood could have only one cause. Carmilla sniffed the air around her and parted her redder than usual lips. She knew what she'd see next. Her fangs had began to extend. Saccharine white, they contrasted against the dark red of her lower lip.

That was _the_ problem. One she had anticipated and could not do anything about. The control she had learned over the centuries had been formidable, but Carmilla was sure one of these days she would slip. Because now she had the worst possible temptation gnawing at her resolve every moment of every day or night. She closed her eyes and exhaled. Long, deep breaths. Slow, steadying motions with her hands. For several minutes the old exercise did nothing for her, then one by one the noise and all the other senses fell away. She reached inwards for the equilibrium. Minutes ticked by until she opened her eyes to see the same girl she saw before. Only this time the blush was gone, her eyes were blown, but not as much and those pearly whites were not any different from any humans. Another exhale. Carmilla gave herself a small grin, shoving her hands into pockets. She was still in control. For now.

And then she heard it. The drumbeat of cascading water had stopped and there was unmistakable rustle of a towel being run against skin. Laura had apparently finished with her shower, however she was not finished singing. The lyrics were intermingled with an odd bit of humming. But it was the words – along with an image of Laura following through on that promise – that had thrown her whole body into a wave of rising heat.

 _And I know it's late, I know it's cold  
_ _Just come right here, I'll never let you go!  
_ _The way you move—it's wonderful  
_ _Let's do it now, 'cause one day we'll both be old..._

Even so, this time it was an altogether another sort of longing, one Carmilla could deal with. One she welcomed. The tingling of her skin and the heavy pull below her navel were simple, primal in a way that was not unknown to humans. Lust was something she could focus her mind and body on. That was a whole lot better than the alternative. Better still, since Laura will be getting out of the bathroom any minute now, and the sun was just setting, the following hours were exactly the time to take the edge off of her problem.

Carmilla flopped down onto the chair pulling one of her legs up. She worked on the zipper of her shoe as the door of the bathroom opened. The breeze of hot air rushed through the room and Carmilla glanced at the door. There she was – walking out of the overheated bathroom, wisps of steam clinging to the ankles. Laura was wrapped in a long white towel, which reached a few inches above her knee. Another towel was flung around her neck and she was still using it to dry her hair. Carmilla's smirk widened: Laura could not see her behind the high back of the chair and thus was oblivious to her presence. From her position Carmilla could watch as Laura padded on bare feet to the wardrobe all the while continuing to half-hum half-sing the same song.

Enraptured, she drank everything that was this ridiculous girl. Her voice and the sweet mannerisms, that small body swaying with the song, a mess of damp light brown hair that looked more dirty blonde when freshly washed. Carmilla had learned how Laura moved, she always had a knack for noticing the small things. The little details others would overlook. Like how Laura would keep middle and ring fingers of her left hand at a distance from doors, drawers and cupboards. A childhood injury, she guessed. Or, perhaps, a habit picked up from having her fingers being stuck one time too many. There were so many of those little things and Carmilla could not stop herself from wanting to learn them all. Not that she would be so foolish as to admit it out loud. She was content to watch and absorb.

"...You need a wild heart... Hmmm-hmm... You need a wild heart, oh, oh, I got a wild heart... Oh, oh... _OH...hah-hamm_ –"

Laura turned in mid-dance and that was the moment she was struck with the realization that she had an audience. A sudden, sharp whoosh of breath and she had frozen on the spot. Carmilla leaned forward getting out of her hidden spot behind the tall back of the ornate wooden chair. Sure enough, Laura had squished her face and closed her eyes as tightly as she could. The blush that was coloring her cheek bones had become a deeper shade of pink, not just for the heat of the shower, but serving to prove her embarrassment. She had peeked out of one eye and immediately closed it again. She shook her head as if expecting it to make Carmilla disappear.

"Aw, don't stop on my account, cupcake." purred Carmilla. "I was rather enjoying the performance. Do you take requests, Miss Open Mic Night?"

"Carmilla!" spluttered Laura finally opening her eyes. "What are you doing home so early? I thought you were going to be late... Weren't you going to visit that place around the corner? And how about not creeping up on people! That's just rude! You've got to cut it out, I could have had a heart attack!"

"So demanding. Are you sure you're not freaking out because I had witnessed the adorable singing in the shower cliché?" Carmilla tilted her head throwing an ironic smirk towards Laura.

"I... I have no idea what you are talking about!" Oh, that panicky denial was absolutely precious.

"Oh, come on, buttercup! I have known that about you from the start."

"You did? How?"

"Vampire hearing. Among other senses." Carmilla could not resist rolling her eyes at the dumbstruck expression on Laura's face.

"Carm!" The transformation from open-mouthed to bunched up in indignation face Laura had gone through was too hilarious not to laugh at. "That is such an invasion of privacy! You were the worst roommate ever! I can not believe you had been listening in… or sensing in or whatever you call it– _spying_ on me in the shower! Before we were dating! That was so not cool! And now you had to ambush me in the bedroom, too!"

"It's not like I can switch it off. And if you did not want me here, you could have locked the door." drawled Carmilla returning to her task.

She heard some irritated mumbling coming from the wardrobe and had to suppress more of the oncoming laughter. She sure could make out the bits about _'Not just my room'_ and _'Freaking heart attack'_ and of course _'Never gonna let me live it down'_. All of which were true. Especially the part about Carmilla panning on teasing the buttercup about her all too heartwarming habit. Still smirking Carmilla deposited her shoes at the foot of the bed and pulled at the socks next. The sharp hiss of air had caught her attention in the middle of taking off one of her thigh-highs. She glanced in the direction of the sound rising her brow. Laura was standing next to the vanity with a brush in her hand, although it was evident that she had not started on taming her hair.

"What are you doing?" the breathless way Laura had asked that question was telling of so much.

"Why, taking my clothes off, of course. You have a problem with that, sweetheart?" Feigning innocence was almost impossible now, after all they had learned of each other. Though, that did not mean Carmilla would not try to play it up this way.

"Um... No. But don't we have dinner plans?"

"Oh, I have all sorts of plans for you. None of which includes leaving this room 'till the sun comes up."

Not taking her eyes off of Laura Carmilla pulled her thigh-high all the way off and promptly let it flutter down to the floor. She stood up stalking on now bare feet up to the vanity. Laura blinked, then her eyes raced down Carmilla's body and then up again only to interlock their gazes. Carmilla did not miss how Laura's bright eyes lingered on her long bare legs on the downward pass. Or the way the simple white tank top hugged her curves on their way back up to her face. The grin she was wearing grew wider. Laura gulped, no doubt feeling trapped, though this time she did not show any sign of fear or hesitance, so unlike the first time Carmilla had cornered her. As Carmilla slid forward in one fluid motion, she could hear the thumping of Laura's heart, feel the raising heat radiating from her body. Inching even closer she leaned in and inhaled. Laura's scent had filled her lungs doing a better job at heightening her senses than any of the old training routines had done.

Carmilla stopped when there was no more than a few inches separating their bodies, now standing inside Laura's personal space, yet not touching her. Instead she placed her hands on the flat surface of the vanity effectively trapping Laura between the furniture and her own lean body. She bowed closer to the other girl's ear, making a note out of the corner of her eye at how Laura had closed hers, how her lips parted the second Carmilla's breath brushed her cheek. It was a calculated move, just as much as the raspy tones of her whisper at the shell of Laura's ear were.

"I have to confess, honey, the dinner was a ploy. What I wanted was to get you all to myself. No interruptions, no noisy puppies, no holding back. And if you're still hungry later, you could always eat something off of my naked body. Or, maybe, I could. I'm sure there is a can of whipped cream in the fridge."

Not waiting on a response Carmilla flicked the tip of her tongue over the shell, then moved lower and captured the earlobe into her mouth. She sucked and nibbled at it getting just a tiny bit closer with each heartbeat, but still keeping her hands to herself.

Laura let out a ragged breath. Her skin was tingling, she felt the low voice Carmilla had adopted shoot down through her body to the pit of her stomach. The towel was too constricting all of a sudden, too tightly wound around herself to let Laura breathe and the air around her became much too hot. All of which was so easy for Carmilla to read. She released the earlobe and started trailing soft kisses below Laura's jaw. That got her a quiet moan and another rush of that wonderful earthy scent hitting her nostrils. Laura was getting wetter and not because of the shower. She flicked her tongue over the sensitive skin of Laura's jawline and that was all it took.

Laura's hands rose up to dig into the tank top on her back and tug her in the final inch. Their hips collided pressing flush to each other, chests met for a moment before separating again. Carmilla smiled against the warm skin of Laura's throat relishing the moans she could coax out of the girl by sucking and nipping and the pliant flesh. Carmilla tore her hands from the hard wood, her desire to touch Laura too needful to wait any longer, but not yet strong enough to overwhelm her playful nature. Her fingers crept up the arms that were pulling them closer together. Just the fingertips over the sensitive skin, roaming, getting closer to the smooth curve of Laura's shoulders. The fingers were leaving behind goosebumps, tiny twitches of the body she was pressed to had left Carmilla wanting more. Spreading light kisses up Laura's throat she crept closer and closer to those parted lips. Each shallow bite caused the girl in her arms to grab on tighter, each playful kiss coaxed another moan to escape those plump lips. Carmilla ran the tip of her tongue all the way up to Laura's chin and without more of a preamble closed her mouth over the parted lips swallowing the latest whimper.

To be finally able to feel Laura's lips moving against hers after a whole day apart was delicious beyond what she thought possible. Carmilla thought herself prepared, and yet every time they had kissed her control was threatening to whither and float away. She concentrated on the kiss trying to focus on Laura, on her touch and taste, not on the urge growing within her own body. But then – _Oh, god, it's almost too much!_ – Laura had gotten adventurous deepening the kiss on her own. Her tongue darted forward pressing on Carmilla's lips in question… or was it a demand?

Carmilla let her in, and at this point was there anything she would not let this girl do to her? Two tongues slid against each other, warm and with a hint of mint. Gentle, probing caresses from Laura in sync with her impossibly soft lips. No matter how assertive this girl had become, she would always start slow. Tantalizing. Tempting in the worst possible way without even knowing what she was going to Carmilla. And suddenly it really was too much, too much to keep her head straight, too much not to slip up and instead of enjoying the sensations Carmilla pulled away. Unable to completely separate so fast, she captured Laura's lower lip holding it and sucking gently before releasing it with a pop. A strained breath escaped a mouth – impossible to say who's – tickling their cheeks. Carmilla took a look at the face she was cradling so gently in her palms. It was still a mystery to her how or why this had happened. And though she didn't know the reason behind the damned near magic spell Laura has put on her, not that even she believes in such nonsense, it was still there. Laura's lashes fluttered open and they were linked, just for a moment. A striking moment when their eyes had met.

Laura's eyes are bright and gleaming, like molten amber, but they had misted over, darkened with wanting. Carmilla could see it, could smell it, sense it all over the irresistible girl. The racing of her heart, the scent of her arousal, the heat of her skin. This was what she wanted, what she needed to ground her. Carmilla smiled her crooked, almost devilish grin capturing Laura's eyes with her own, all the predator she really was.

"You're mine, Hollis. All mine until the sun raises and you'll find another foolhardy quest to go on."

With this she lunged and kissed her again. The bruising kiss was hard, unyielding. Promising and claiming. Carmilla tugged Laura close, teasing another moan out of her, gripped her waist in a secure hold and… threw her on the bed where the girl landed with a thud and a surprised yelp. Though it transitioned into some pleasantly breathless giggling a second later. Carmilla licked her lips. Being honest, she did like the playful side of Laura a surprising amount. The way she laughed right now behind her hands. The towel had come loose around her shaking chest and the hem of it had ridden up along Laura's crossed legs. She had rubbed her face for a moment before capturing Carmilla's eyes. The smile on Laura's face was irresistible – a mix of lusty longing and mischief all peppered with mirth. How she was able to look so free and sensual and inviting while keeping the air of innocence was apparently the eighth wonder of the world.

"I faintly remember someone talking big game about plans and wanting me all to themselves? Still waiting over here." Laura grinned at Carmilla beckoning her with a 'come hither' motion of her finger.

"Patience."

The low purr of Carmilla's voice settled between them like a tender touch of the very same satin sheets Laura was lounging on. Carmilla raked her eyes up and down the form laying on the bed, and what a sight it was! Her eyes settled on Laura's. Not breaking eye contact Carmilla hooked her fingers under the elastic stripes of the suspenders and pulled on them. She played with the garment twisting it around her wrists, tugging yet not quite taking them off. The display had certainly captured Laura's attention. As Carmilla slid the suspenders off her shoulders, the girl on the bed let out a hissing breath. When Carmilla took ahold of her tank top and flung it over her head in a single motion sending her dark locks cascading around her shoulders, Laura moaned. The white bra joined the pile on the floor a few seconds later and Carmilla skimmed her long fingers up her torso, the motion making Laura shiver. Her grin was nothing short of perfection of smugness as she lowered herself onto the bed. Getting on all fours she crawled over to Laura.

Freezing above the captivated girl she got one hand in an iron grip on the hem of the towel. She gave Laura a pointed look with fire dancing in her eyes. The hint was as clear as could be and the second Laura had braced herself on her legs and elbows, Carmilla yanked the towel from around her girlfriend sending it soaring somewhere behind her back. She felt her mouth watering at the sight of slightly damp honey of Laura's uncovered flesh. Her small body was alluring in all the right ways while being so different from Carmilla. Slender but full, toned but soft. The two of them arching to meet each other – a contrast of sunshine and pale milk. Carmilla barely managed to suppress a primal growl stirring in her chest. Laura's nude form was beautiful. Darkened hungry eyes roamed the expanse of sun-kissed skin noticing every shiver, every twitch of muscles and every lean curve.

Carmilla moved in sliding seamlessly in-between Laura's parting legs. She pressed their fronts flush together feeling Laura's skin burning against her own. Her young body was so much hotter than that of the vampire. Carmilla trailed a long wet line from Laura's clavicle down to the valley between her breasts. Her nails were skating along the girl's sides counting the number of ribs and rugged breaths being pushed in and out of the lungs underneath. Carmilla swirled the tip of her tongue around the supple breast in languid, relishing motion. Once she reached the peak, at the same time as her hands finish their trek up to Laura's chest, her mouth closed around the firm nipple. She sucked on the hard bud, then lashed at it with her tongue all the while her hand kneaded the other breast. Long fingers teased and tweaked the nipple in counterpoint to Carmilla's teeth careful nips at the delicious peak in her mouth.

She smiled into the soft flesh as Laura's hands flew up to draw hard lines along her back. The writhing girl under her ministrations was letting out soft whimpers and little sighs of pleasure. And then after she switched sides and gave a particularly skilled lash with her tongue Laura moaned and arched in earnest. Along with that increasingly desperate sound escaping her throat, Carmilla could smell Laura getting wetter, the tremble of muscles underneath her fingers becoming needier. She ground downwards into Laura meeting her eager hips. Carmilla felt the urge rising again, this was getting dangerous.

"Carm... I want to touch you." a breathless plea floated off Laura's parted lips.

"No." Carmilla hissed when the hands on her back roamed lower and clutched at the hem of her shorts.

The tugging fingers caused her shorts and underwear to rub together and slide with ease against the throbbing between her thighs. Carmilla gasped as her head fell down. She nuzzled Laura's collarbone with her forehead. In the midst of her heated exploration of Laura's body Carmilla had not realized just how aroused she had gotten herself. She had been so focused on resisting her urges, it did not occur to her that her panties were ruined by now. And yet if she were to give in to that aching need, the other urge would without a doubt follow. She would not be able to control herself this time. Not if Laura could have her way. Not if the small demanding hands on her hips managed to get to their destination.

Carmilla gripped at Laura's sides and flipped them over so that Laura was now straddling her thighs. The girl looked disorientated for a moment being knocked out of her lust-driven daze. The questioning hazel met two black holes that were Carmilla's eyes filled up with an animalistic craving. Laura shuddered above her letting out a sharp breath and grounding her hips onto Carmilla's lap. Two strong pale arms landed on her waist and gripping tight. Holding Laura up and leaning back onto the bed, she urged the girl to get further along her body.

"Up. Up!" the growl was rumbling low in Carmilla's throat. "Hold on to something."

Laura moved on instinct following her instructions. She shimmied up the bed until both her knees landed on either side of Carmilla's head. She leaned back and stretched up to the canopy, Laura's hands blindly reached for the upper board plank directly above the headboard. She closed her hands around the old wood.

Carmilla breathed in. She could barely keep her vision straight. She drank wide-eyed the incredible view before her. Laura was there above her, every bit of her from birthmarks on her hip to the tossed head of light brown hair. Laura was surrounding her. The sweet scent of her arousal was all around. And mere inches away from her face was the source of that smell. Laura's pussy was on open display for her. The glistening outer lips peeled away to offer a teasing glimpse of the soft pinkness deeper. Small bud of her clit was already hard enough to be peeking from beneath its hood. Carmilla felt her mouth watering simply taking the gorgeous sight in. Still, she would never be content with just looking. She reached up to run the flat of her tongue along Laura's folds. Once, twice, more and more. Slow, purposeful strokes. The second she tasted Laura she could not stop. She kissed and licked coating her lips in shimmering glaze. A rush of new wetness spilled down over her lips and chin with each greedy swipe of her tongue.

Her restless tongue mapping every inch of Laura it could reach caused more wanton moans to pour out of Laura. The sound of her girlfriend rapidly approaching her release had made Carmilla rake her eyes up along Laura's trembling body as she closed her mouth over her clit. She watched how Laura squirmed and shuddered under her tongue, how her arms strained to keep her upright. How her still damp hair clinged to her face and shoulders. How her honey-sweet, sun-kissed skin was covered with goose bumps and beads of perspiration. She traced that skin with her hands, ran her nails up and down the quivering muscles of Laura's abdomen, her straining to stay still hips.

To be able to feel and see every little shudder, each ragged breath and high-pitched mewl of pleasure; having Laura on top of her, breathless and wanting, it was nothing short of intoxicating. She focused on getting Laura worked up faster, skillfully dragging her deeper towards an impending orgasm. The only thought left in Carmilla's blissfully empty head was her desire to make Laura come, to see her features transform as she tumbled over the edge.

Another pulse of wetness that filled her mouth, the rich scent tickling her nostrils, _her Laura_ in throws of ecstasy canting her hips and arching back like a drawn bow. Carmilla wrapped her arms around the rolling hips holding Laura in place. She swirled her tongue around the swollen clit and then pulled the swollen point of her clit deeper into her mouth. The body above her tensed, Laura's inner muscles clenched releasing a gush of liquid over Carmilla's chin, but she only held tighter and increasing the pressure of her lips sealed around Laura's clit. Laura cried out and her arms slipped off the plank, she collapsed over the headboard. Her hips buckled uncontrollably as she rode her orgasm against Carmilla's ravenous mouth. Not a moment later Carmilla darted lower to the tender ring of muscle at Laura's entrance. She savored the flood of wetness, every little flutter of delicious flesh pressed to her mouth, every expression and strangled cry Laura made. She slowed down to a languid exploration easing the tension with tender strokes of her tongue. She gathered as much of Laura's essence as she could while the panting girl was coming down from her high.

Laura was still shaking a bit in her pose slumped against the headboard, but her breathing had evened out. Carmilla slithered from underneath her with feline grace and put an arm around the trembling figure. Laura sagged into her and let Carmilla gently lower her overheated body down on the bed. Carmilla swiped the wetness off her lower face while staring at the breathless girl, her lips formed a sated grin. For the moment her lethal urge had faded into a satisfying ache somewhere deep inside. She hopped off the bed and wriggled out of her shorts along with her underwear. Carmilla suppressed a flinch as her wet pussy connected with the open air. She felt a pang of need radiating from between her legs, but that would have to wait. She was in no condition to take care of that herself. The satisfaction of making Laura come, of watching her rapture in ecstasy would have to do for now. Carmilla sighed getting back in bed. She slid along the satin sheets up to Laura and wrapped herself around the warm form.

Carmilla had been so caught up in her own feelings of contentment she was thrown by the breathless giggling and felt the body she was curled up to shaking in laughter. She squinted up at Laura who was giggling from behind the protectively closed hands over her face.

"What now?..." muttered Carmilla against the honeyed clavicle.

"Did you not notice? You were… Rubbing on me and purring like a cat!" Laura dissolved into almost hysterical giggling. The out-of-this-world orgasm had infused her with an airy feeling that was both relaxing and filling her up with bursting energy. It was making that small body shine in Carmilla's eyes – so full of life, so free and mesmerizing. Laura shook in laughing fits and Carmilla could not hide her captivated smile.

She _had_ been purring. She _had_ been rubbing her face on Laura. Dammit, she had become such a sap!

But without fail Carmilla had held the girl through the laughing fit. Slowly Laura had relaxed in her arms and her breathing calmed down. Then she pulled away resting her head on the pillow and throwing Carmilla in those shining pools of light brown, almost amber in this light. Laura was smiling and her hair formed a halo around her face and the only thought in the otherwise empty brain of Carmilla's was about how beautiful she looked. Laura's smile was smooth and sweet, like honey. The curve of her face, gentle way her eyebrows arched above those eyes. Even the smattering of freckles over that cute nose. She was perfect. Carmilla swallowed. Those kinds of thoughts have been following her for a while now, not that they were any less surprising bubbling to the surface for the fiftieth time or the fiftyfirst.

This naive, headstrong girl, barely an adult had captivated her, captured her and was not showing any signs of letting up.

"Why do you turn into a panther?" the question came out of nowhere making Carmilla blink in surprise. "I mean, in all those horror movies vampires turn into bats and such. How come you're a giant cat?"

"Movies, huh? At least you did not cite Twilight as your source of vampire knowledge." the darker brunette graced Laura with an indulgent smirk. "In the real world we do not choose our other forms. I got a panther in the lottery. And before you ask, yes, there are quite a few feline traits that bleed over to my human form… which you might have noticed."

"I actually like that about you. Carm, you can be so… _cuddly_ if someone gets past the free-spirit, tough girl act."

"Well, don't go expecting me to get chummy with your amateur hero squad. I have standards."

"Right. What about needing to be invited? Or garlic? Is that like an allergy? And the sun, what about the sun? I haven't seen you burst into flames once and we have been out together! And then there is all the other things like silver, having no reflection, and stakes… Come to think of it, you never said anything about our stakes. Were they bad? Not pointy enough? Oh! And how come you have a heart beat? Because I thought vamp–"

" _Sshh_." Carmilla presses a finger to Laura's lips to interrupt her rambling. It was rather adorable, but she knew better at this point not to wait for Laura to stop on her own. The girl was truly unbelievable. "Do you want me to answer or not?"

Laura nodded, her lips still pressed firmly to her finger. Carmilla retrieved her long digit, sighed in defeated exasperation and regarded her girlfriend with a serious look.

"I can give you the brutal truth or keep your rosy worldview intact. Which will it be, cupcake? Do you really think you wanna know that much about who I am?"

"Carm, I'm not that naive girl I was when we met." Laura had scrunched up her nose in that same manner she found so amusing from the moment she met her. "I want to know. Don't sugarcoat it for me. I can handle it."

"Alright, then." Carmilla snuggled deeper into the pillow and goes on in a matter of fact voice as if they were talking about going grocery shopping tomorrow or gossiping about the campus life. "Being invited in is actually an old rumour spread around Europe by a vampire clan in early 1400s. There is not a shred of truth to it. But it did help with hunting back then. I can stroll into any house, building or shack at any time I please. We do have an allergy to garlic, but not to silver. It had always been the werewolf thing."

Carmilla smirked looking up at the delicate inscriptions on the upper panel of the four-poster. The little gasp Laura had made at the mere mention of werewolves was pretty funny, though deep down Camilla was shockingly relieved the naive girl never got to know more about the canine beasts. She pulled one arm to rest below her head and continued counting off.

"Ultraviolet drains our strength, however it is not deadly as you may believe. No vampire will burst into flames if they stand in the sun for too long. That's just silly! We're likely to faint if left in direct sunlight for a long time. There will be burns on our skin, but those will heal as soon as we're not exposed anymore. Really, vampires can walk around in the sun for hours without much worry, the only consequence being general tiredness and irritability. What's next? Reflection? Yeah, that's a load of crap. How would I do my hair if I had no reflection, huh? Stakes are just a traditional weapon, too many stories tell of piercing a vampire's heart with a stake. It's the same as burning a witch – just folklore. What it really means is that even we can not recover from a substantial injury. Cut off our head, destroy our heart, put a dozen bullets in our brains – and any vampire will die just like any human would. And that's the answer to your other question. We have heartbeats, we do need to breathe – not as much, but we do. The difference is that vampires rejuvenate and your kind doesn't."

"So you're just like us, the lowly creatures now?" laughed Laura, but there was a thoughtful gleam in her eyes.

"I didn't say that, now did I? We're still faster and stronger than you. Not to mention the gift of eternal youth and beauty. Don't you dare start thinking I'm not the hottest piece of ass you could have landed, Hollis! 'Cause I am. Deal with it, cutie."

Laura only smiled at her bravado. Then her expression changed to a serious if a bit hesitant one. She pursed her lips studying Carmilla a few minuted before asking a timid question, slight blush spreading about her cheeks.

"So... Um, Carm, what's it like to drink blood? I mean for vampires."

Carmilla paused. "It depends… Sometimes it tastes like ordinary saltwater, sometimes it's burning like fire. If a vampire had been deprived for a long time, it's like a breath of fresh air after being suffocated. It's… It's hard to explain. Why the sudden interest?" Carmilla's eyes were narrowing in suspicion, she shifted her head to look at Laura. This reeked of another honorable quest to save the day.

"It's just… Did you ever want to bite me? I mean, aside from that one time, later, after we… you know..." she tailed off averting her eyes.

"Cupcake–" Carmilla stopped swallowing, the lump in her throat caused her breathing to hitch and burn her lungs. "You don't have to ask these questions, you know that right? I would never hurt you. I do… I do care about you and if I want your blood or not doesn't matter. So I want you to think hard on whether or not you want to hear the answers to your questions. Because what you hear might be not what you were looking for."

Laura gathered her arms to her chest and closed her fists, al of a sudden her shyness was gone replaced by determination and something else Carmilla could not, would not want to decipher. _It could not possibly be longing, could it?_

"I want to know. Have you thought about biting me, Carmilla? Would you want that?"

Carmilla rolled back onto her back groaning in surrender. There was no way she could have resisted the plea for the truth in those hazel eyes. She closed her own and inhaled letting her nostrils be filled with Laura's scent. Gods, it was so tempting!

"That's the only thing I've been able to think about for months now. You have no idea how enticing you are, Laura. Do you know how hard it is for me to camp down on my yearning for you? All the romanticized tales about vampire's hunger are bullshit, they do not convey anything right! You no doubt have read up on all of that 'eternal love' and 'the bite of passion' crap and now you think you have an idea of what it all means, is that it? You know nothing. How _could_ you?"

"Then tell me. Make me understand." The response was quiet but strong, she could hear the same old Lois Lane junior gig peeking through. Carmilla groaned again.

"Fine." Another sigh. "There are three circumstances in which vampires drink blood. The first is obvious – hunting. We hunt for nourishment and it's as normal for us as it would be for you to go to a supermarket. We stalk, we chase, we pounce and we bite. Some liked to kill their victims back in the day, but that is not necessary. An experienced, patient hunter will charm or enthrall their prey. We would puncture a small artery and drink enough to sustain us. After the deed was done the victim would wake up with a hangover and not remember anything. Not even the wound would remain after a few hours. And in any case in this modern day and age rarely any of us ever hunt anymore. There are blood banks and willing donors and refrigerators. No need for violence when it can be accomplished with such ease."

Carmilla pursed her lips trying to pay more attention to the lesson in vampirism and not on the captivated warm body next to her.

"The second is fighting. It's messy and brutal – fighting between vampires. Or even fighting to survive against the bounty hunters, there were a fair amount of those when the world was younger. It's hard and fast and the only thought is of victory or survival. A fighting bite is what I gave you, if rather an incredibly subdued version. I needed the strength to get to Will so I took it from you. Honestly, if it were anyone else in your place, I would have torn their neck to shreds. I'm sorry, sweetheart, that's just how it goes. In a fight we are covered in blood, we breathe it, we crave it. The more the better. The more blood we spill of our enemies, the higher chances we have to survive, come out victorious. It's not something I'd want you to ever witness in your lifetime."

A tensed silence settled over them for a while until Laura chimed in in a small voice.

"What about the third? You said there were three."

"The third…" drawled Carmilla, a dreamy expression coming over her face. " _Feeding_. That happens rarely. No more than a few every hundred years or so. It's different. This can only happen if a human willingly, of their own accord and free will had offered a vampire to drink from them. It's a rapturous experience. That is where all those stories of hunger and uncontrollable urges are coming from. But most of those stores are married with unfounded fantasies. The old storytellers were all too eager to add their own take on the truth, twist it to suit their needs for flourish and fanfare. The truth about how we feed is more complex than what you are led to believe. In a way it's similar to how we give birth..."

"Wait, you mean like when you turn people into vampires?"

Carmilla glanced at her girlfriend - and what an odd term it is to use during this conversation - to see Laura's eyes wide and captive, but there was much less fear in those eyes than she had expected. Yes, Laura was apprehensive about what she learned, she did understand the danger and yet, now after everything they had been through, she simply accepted Carmilla's word.

"Turning is more complicated. There's a lot of blood sharing involved. But it draws from the same source. You see, to turn somebody a vampire has to feel something for that person. There has to be some kind of a connection. Gods know, Mother never really loved me, but she used to show affection in her own way. However twisted she was, at one point she liked me enough to turn me. Feeding is different though, it requires consent from both parties unlike turning someone. It's about trust, about incredible closeness. The willingness to embrace this side of my kind. And the process is rather intimate, relying on the bond between the human and the vampire. It's one of the only times when we don't have to hide anything of ourselves."

"So…" Laura began with a shy upturn of her lips. "What if the trust has been established and the human consented, what happens next? What does it feel like?"

"It's…"

Carmilla fell silent pondering how she could relate to Laura something she would not be able to understand. Not if she wasn't one of them. Feeding was a feeling like no other. Primal, ancient, drawing on the very essence of life. It was an ache and it was pleasure, it was hunger and it was fulfilment. It was all and everything. Only one act could be compared to that and… Carmilla smiled letting her voice drop into a sultry husk.

"Well, the only proper analogy you could make would be sex. The endorphins released are fairly similar. It's like being driven to the edge and held there, on the principle, for what seems like forever until the blood flows freely from one to the other. And then it's pure undiluted pleasure. Sharper and deeper than anything you can imagine."

She watched Laura shudder at her words, her breathing quick and shallow. The wanting is clear in her eyes, the flush of her skin and a new wave of arousal that touches Carmilla's nose. Laura just looked at her and then bit her lower lip. Now, it was her turn to feel a throbbing ripple run along her spine. Carmilla whimpered barely holding herself back. She could very well guess that her eyes had already been swallowed in blackness and she felt the itching of her still sheathed fangs.

"Carm, would you feed on me if I let you? If I want you to?"

"Yes," this time the growl was coming from somewhere deep within her chest.

"Then do it." breathed out Laura licking her lips and looking all too eager for what was about to happen.

"Laura, are you sure?" the last vestiges of her control were consumed by this final attempt at confirmation.

The girl in question nodded and then gave Carmilla a smile that was somehow full of trust and devotion, but at the same time was so sexy it made her insides squirm.

"I have been thinking about you biting me for while now. I want you to do it, drink my blood. I want to see this side of you, Carmilla. Show me."

And just like that the knot that had been nestled in her chest had come apart. The urge to have Laura and the yearning to taste her blood had become one and the same. Carmilla could let go and what a freeing feeling it was! She let her fangs grow opening her mouth and running the top of her tongue over the long canines. Laura's unwavering gaze and whimper had been her reward. Carmilla could not wait any longer, she lunged forward rolling on top of Laura and capturing her mouth.

They kissed as if possessed. Like there was not enough of each other, like they had been apart for years. The open-mouthed kisses had caused hot flames to course through her veins. Carmilla had been ravenous, barely contained in her desire to bite Laura, but now all the urgency was gone. What it was replaced by was heat. Heat and want and searing desire filling her every muscle and seeping through every pore. The heavy pounding of her heart was reflected in-between her thighs. And when Laura had flicked her own tongue over her fangs it was Carmilla who moaned as loud as their sloppy kiss would allow.

She tore herself away from the perfect mouth to pepper a few kisses over Laura's face and then looked down into her eyes. Carmilla smiled, her fanged grin sending shivers down the body trapped underneath her. Smirking wider she leaned in trailing a wet trail across Laura's jaw towards her ear. When she spoke even her whispers were laced with husky rumbles deeper in her throat.

"Thank you for this. You have no idea how much it means to me. I won't hurt you, I promise. It's a misconception that vampire bites have to be painful or torturous or vicious. I won't be ripping your throat open like in those disgusting movies. It's true that the first moment my fangs will puncture your skin, you'll feel it, but... Vampires are a part of nature. The apex predator. And like many other bloodsucking animals, we are build for that. My saliva contains anticoagulants and anesthetics – all designed for me to get as much from a single victim as possible. I will numb the area around the bite. And the endorphins I will inject into you will make the feeding extremely pleasant, not only for me, but for you too."

Carmilla had intermingled the whispers with licking and nipping at Laura's earlobe, open-mouthed kisses to that little nook where the jawline connected to her neck. She was fairly sure Laura had maybe gotten half of that explanation in her aroused state, but it was the reassurance in her tone what caused the small body to relax and give in to Carmilla completely. She inched down the column of Laura's throat. Nipping and sucking on the skin, but not even grazing it with her fangs. Arriving at the thundering pulsepoint she sucked deeper, pulled firmer, hard enough to leave a bruise. Laura tensed underneath her letting out small noises of pleasure and anticipation. She whined and almost kicked with her feet when Carmilla kept suckling and lashing the kiss mark with her tongue.

"Carmilla… Please…"

The plea was as much of a whine as it was a breathless moan and Carmilla laughed against the gulping throat she was savoring. She pulled up for a moment breathing hotly on the shell of Laura's ear.

"Dear, I won't be biting your neck. That's for hunting and killing. It's much too crass for the love games you're fell into. No, I will descend down your delicious body–"

Carmilla illustrated her words with her mouth, punctuating every promise by latching onto her flesh.

"I will ravish every inch of it and then– "

 _Kiss along the curve of her clavicle. Lick in the little dip in-between the collarbones._

"When I'm comfortably nestled between your thighs–"

 _Long lick down Laura's torso. Nip at the tender skin below her left breast._

"I will bring you to the very edge of orgasm–"

 _A string of kisses along tensing stomach. Light nibble at the protruding hipbone._

"So close you'll be able to almost taste it–"

 _Long open-mouthed kiss that left a darkening mark on one of the trembling thighs._

"Only then will I sink my fangs into your thigh and let you know true pleasure."

 _Finally, a languid stroke of her searing hot pussy from the opening all the way up to the sensitive ridge of her clit._

Carmilla made good on every part of her promise. She swirled and coiled her tongue. Lowered to Laura's entrance teasing the muscle until the girl began whimpering. Pushing in as far as she could and then retreating back out. Changing rhythms and pulling off completely to nibble at one inner thigh or the other. She drew her to the very principle, to the sharp edge right before the plunge. The sight of Laura's writhing body, her sopping pussy – swollen, glistening, the small shaft of her clit almost painfully hard; the way her legs were parted to the last limit and the litany of wanton moans and pleas flowing off her lips... The image of her, it was doing wicked things to Carmilla's insides. She was truly a marvel to behold – breathless, desperate, free.

Carmilla herself was soaking wet, her sex thrummed with need for some stimulation, but she knew the second she tasted Laura's blood it would not matter anymore, she will get all the stimulation she ever dreamed of. Replacing her mouth with gently fingers massaging her clit, Carmilla dipped her head to where Laura's thigh begins. She ran her lips along the curve of her inner thigh inhaling the sweet smell of honey and wildflowers and _Laura_. The steady pulse of blood pumping through the femoral artery was like the thundering of a rainstorm to her ears. She pressed the flat of her tongue to the hot flesh preparing the area with several strokes. Carmilla's fingers teasing Laura's entrance moved in sync with her tongue.

The sweet anticipation turned into barely contained thirst, the tension in Carmilla's unsheathed teeth reached unbearable height. It was time.

Sharp fangs pierced the skin at the same time as Carmilla thrust two fingers into Laura. Her muffled scream had only spurred Carmilla on. She sank her teeth deeper reaching the pulsing artery and drawing the flood into her mouth. Laura's frantic bucking against her hand coincided with the first drop of blood that touched her tongue.

 _The blood... Oh, fuck-fuck-fuck, the blood… Elder horrors be damned, HER blood! Aagh..._

It brought catharsis. Fulfilment and satisfaction far greater than any other time in her long life. Her senses exploded as the heavenly taste covered her whole, white hot flames rolled and collided inside Carmilla like raging waves throwing themselves against the cliffs. Her body shivered and clamped down at the overwhelming sensations, she could feel her inner walls contracting and she was coming without any direct stimulation, but what coursed through her was beyond a simple orgasm.

She drank from Laura as if the bite is her only earthly tether. Laura was her ambrosia. She was only partially aware of her hand pumping and curling on instinct, driving Laura over the edge. Laura's body contorted in rippling waves of tremors, tensing and arching of the bed.

"Carm!... Fuck…. _Oh, god…Carmilla!..._ "

Another long draw and Carmilla pulled back glancing back up at Laura. It had taken all of her strength to to stop, but what she saw was worth it. The girl sprawled across the sheets was incoherent, lost in the thraws of undiluted bliss. Her fingers remained inside steadying Laura as she was clenching around them through the aftershocks. Carmilla lowered back down not taking her eyes away from Laura. She gathered a few lingering drops around the healing puncture holes. She lapped at the wound until it had closed in its entirety. Four puncture marks were still visible on the sun-kissed skin as she withdrew, but even those were fading.

Laura was panting with one hand thrown across her face. Her muscles tensed and she let out a subdued groan as Carmilla pulled out of her. One look was enough to see just how shaken and exhausted Laura was in that moment. Though, the way she paled and was taking jagged little breaths, made Carmilla uneasy. She on the other hand felt incredible. Her whole existence brimmed with a frightening amount of unspent energy. She felt invincible, powerful, but also whole as if there had been a piece of her missing and now she got it back. The effects of a true feeding had not been exaggerated and frankly that scared the shit out of her. Yet right now none of it mattered. Laura was the one in need of attention.

Carmilla was on the other side of the room in a blink, opening the small refrigerator in the corner. She kept her personal stash in there so that she would always have access to AB negative, a soda or something a bit stronger. Carmilla pulled out a small bottle of orange juice and swung the fridge shut. Next, she walked over to the double doors of the balcony and pulled them open letting the cool night's breeze enter the room. Carmilla inhaled the fresh air, let its whispers caress her heated skin. With a soft smile she padded to the bed and sat next to Laura.

"Laura, how are you feeling?" she removed the arm covering the girl's face to find tear lines running down from her drooping eyes. "Was that too intense for you, honey? Did I take too much? I should have stopped sooner, I'm sorry."

"No…" Laura's voice was shaky and hoarse from screaming. She fixed her glistening eyes on Carmilla. "That was… That was the most amazing thing I have ever done. You did… God, my whole body feels like jello."

"I know. Here," Carmilla twisted the cap off the juice bottle lowering it to Laura's lips. "Drink up. You need to make up for the fluids you lost."

Laura drank greedily, her throat contracting. Carmilla just watched her as she inhaled, something tightening at her heart. Laura had emptied half the small bottle before shaking her head in indication that she had enough. Carmilla deposited the bottle on the nightstand before going back to bed. She leaned back against the headboard in a comfortable reclined position grabbing the sheet to cover them with both on the way. Once settled she pulled Laura onto her side and then closer to her. Laura curled up to her dropping her head on Carmilla's chest.

"Do we get to do this often? Is there a protocol or… _aaahh_... something like that… Hmm?" her questions were interrupted by a yawn. Carmilla ran a soothing hand along the round shoulder.

" _Sshh_ , Laura. We can talk later. You need to sleep. I have taken a lot from you, you will need rest. And once you wake up, I will make you breakfast."

"Mmm.. 'Kay." murmured Laura already drifting off.

Her breathing steadied and her lashes fluttered shut. Laura whispered something into the air, already mostly gone from the waking world, something so quet anyone not possessing of vampire hearing would not have been able to pick up on it. Just a few worlds, and even those were slurred, but that whisper made Carmilla's heart soar and then plummet into the pit of her stomach all the same.

" _Carmhm… Love yah…"_

Carmilla lay awake for a long time watching the light wind tease the curtains, she studied the moon and the stars in the night's sky and thought of her road to here and now.

Turned at eighteen, she grew up to become a callous and cynical person. She had spend three centuries learning how the word was not a kind and welcoming place, not in the least to her. Suffering an abusive 'Mother'. Falling for a sweet girl only to have Elle throw _'Monster!'_ at her face, the last words her first love would ever say. Spending decades locked in a box. Trying and failing to do some good in the world before Mother would inevitably just get rid of her. She had almost resigned to that fate, the empty and pointless existence, only for her life to be turned upside down by one naive, noisy girl and her Veronica Mars fan club.

And unbelievable still, instead of stopping at that Laura had accepted her! Granted, it took some time, but they were drawn together from the start. Laura did not think her a monster or evil or irreparably damaged. She had welcomed Carmilla into her heart, shared her mind and life with a vampire. All of her. And that gift had been given freely, without strings or a price tag attached. Free of judgement or fear. The only reason Laura needed was that simple fact that she liked Carmilla. _Loved her_.

Letting the smile shine on her face, a brutally genuine happiness taking root in her soul, she lowered her gaze to the light brown head resting comfortably on her chest. She leaned in and dropped a lingering kiss to the top of Laura's head. She had finally found it, the piece that was missing.

"I love you too, Laura."

This really was what she had been missing her whole life. The final piece she was searching for without even realizing it herself. In that moment, accepted completely just as she was, accepted and loved by that ridiculous girl nuzzling into her, in that moment Carmilla felt something she never thought could be possible for someone like her.

She had found happiness. Despite everything, or maybe because of it, she was _happy_.

Laughter bubbled in her chest striving to be released. It was so unlike her to just laugh because of how good she felt, but, hell, this all was unlike her to the extreme and by all means it was a good thing.

The gentle laugh filled with myriad of emotions fluttered across the room, was picked up in the breeze and ushered out through the opened balcony doors. It traveled down the wall of the mansion, tangled in the tree branches and floated down the street. Down the street to the far corner, where below a blinking warm light there was a figure standing shrouded in twilight of the night. The mystery man tilted his head as if listening to something. He directed his dark eyes at the mansion and the opened balcony of the second floor. The figure shifted as the man put his hands into pockets of his jacket coming into the light.

"About time, sis." Will smirked and hummed under his breath. "You were always a bit slow, Kitty-cat. But, it seems, you got it right this time around. Good for you. I'll be seeing you. Or maybe I won't. Who knows?"

And with another chuckle Will dissapeared into the night.


End file.
